After 14 years of teaching—and nine years as a Ben Lippen parent since 2004—Joel Benefield is heading into retirement, leaving behind a legacy built on relationships, growth, and countless meaningful moments in and out of the classroom.

Mr. Benefield earned his Bachelor of Science from Charleston Southern University, but he’s quick to say that his time at Ben Lippen shaped him just as much as he shaped his students. Reflecting on his years here, he shared, “I learned so much more from the experience than I could possibly ever teach.” That humility and willingness to learn alongside his students have been at the heart of who he is as a teacher.

Throughout his time at BLS, Micah 6:8 has been a guiding verse for him—“still learning to keep it simple,” as he puts it. It’s a fitting reflection of both his faith and the steady, grounded way he’s approached life and teaching.

When it comes to favorite memories, it’s hard for him to narrow it down. Whether it was laughing with students in class, watching them accomplish more than they thought possible, cheering under the Friday night lights, traveling to Iceland and Washington, D.C., or seeing Camp BL grow into what it is today—those moments have all left a lasting mark.

What has meant the most to Mr. Benefield, though, is the people. As he puts it, it’s the “relationships between colleagues and with students” that make Ben Lippen so special—and those relationships have defined his time here.

As he steps into this next season, he’s planning to take a well-deserved break for a while before figuring out what’s next.

Ben Lippen is incredibly thankful for Mr. Benefield’s years of faithful service and the lasting impact he’s made on so many students and colleagues.